My first two years in Portugal have brought many lessons, adventures, and challenges, making it difficult to describe in one blog post. It took me so long to find stability that writing needed to wait a bit.

I fall in love with Lisbon at first sight, this city has a charm I still cannot describe accurately, Lisbon may not have the brightness and pomp of other principal capitals in Europe, it has a beautiful vibe of someone who (with dignity) aged gracefully, breathing a beautiful melancholy on its facades, a warm heart that keeps its distance until you feel ready to let it hug you.

Anyway, I arrived in Lisbon at the end of the summer of 23. I was not really aware of the challenges you face when you start over in a new country, knowing no one. Now, when I write about it or even say it out loud, it sounds so obvious, but it isn’t; those who have done the same can relate.

I recently wrote a letter to my past self, the one who was about to come to Portugal, and I realized that if someone had told me what I had to go through, I probably would have stayed in the uncomfortable but pleasant comfort zone.

Starting over, from scratch.

It could sound exciting, it is. But it requires either superhuman courage, ignorance/dumbness, or a big dream that plays in your mind to make any challenge seem normal. I think my case was the last two, and as a result, I developed extraordinary courage.

I’m glad for all the setbacks I have had, because they have helped me see my true character, and I’m very proud of myself. I just wish I didn’t need to keep this pace of personal growth and character strengthening, at least for a while.

A Master’s degree was the excuse to come, the means to an end. It’s never a bad thing to gain knowledge and structure. With the experience and confidence that come with time and previous experiences, I wanted to enjoy my Master’s as I would like to enjoy my bachelor’s. I was everywhere, any activity the Uni made, I was there, volunteered in the Innovation and Analytics Lab, and discovered my creativity and diverse background actually had a place in this world where most people need to stick to a label/job title as if it was their true and only identity, one you will have forever.

I thought everything would be faster and easier. But I had one of the first cultural shocks; Portugal has its own pace. I don’t want to sound like I’m complaining, I was just used to a broken system which worked more efficiently, at least faster. And there is nothing I could do to change that; it would be arrogant on my end to pretend that a country has to adapt to a single visitor (or thousands of newcomers), rather than the other way around. So, I just let it be and carried on. The thing was, I was running out of money. Finding a job without the documents was impossible if you wanted to actually put in the effort to learn and perform well in the Master’s projects, etc.

It took me several months to find a job, and I’ve sent at least 500 applications. I even handed out my CV at some hotels for anything: cleaning, front desk, dishwashing, anything… Not a single call. It was frustrating, and I had a ghost dancing around my head; the ghost of “failure” and having to go back to my home country. But I’m a resilient man, and I did something I learned from my darkest hour; If this is the best I can live, I will enjoy it the way it is. So that’s what I tried.

Getting to know Lisbon

I walked all over Lisbon, tens of Kilometers almost every day. I was catching the sunset from different spots. Every place I went made me feel more comfortable, surprised, and fortunate to have the chance to live in such a beautiful place. Disclaimer: Beauty, of course, is relative; Lisbon doesn’t have the pomp of the other great capitals of Europe, you can’t compare them. The beauty of Lisbon lies in the dignity of someone who has aged well, with grace; even its scars and not-so-pretty parts make it charming.

The vibe of this city matches with old souls like mine, I guess. The way I speak about Lisbon made me realize I’m my dad’s son. I love Lisbon; I’m in love with this city. It’s my home for now, and I hope it’s for a long time. My best friend didn’t like it much, and at some point I felt offended, as if I was an Alfacinha (Nickname for people born in Lisbon).

Lisbon has a lot of hills, but they are not impossible to walk up. Actually, Lisbon is pretty walkable, and almost every hill has its reward, an amazing view at the top. These views always inspire me. When I was sad, they cheered me up; when I was about to give up, they reminded me why I was here.

My walks ended up having “hydration” pauses, and I started learning more about Portuguese wine. I was completely ignorant about wine, here I learned what I like in those matters, that season actually can affect your choice; during summer I loved Vinho Verde (White wine from an specific region) when it gets colder I enjoy more Alentejanos and wines from Duoro, and I won’t explain more about those, not to sound arrogant, but to spark some curiosity so you can check by yourself.

Through these walks, I also learned some stuff about coffee. I was never a fan of coffee; I drank it because I liked the kick of caffeine, and sharing one with my dad very early in the morning, but not the taste. But here I realized I actually like the taste of good coffee, and learned a bit about its features, but I always drink it long, strong, and dark, like the space.

Settling down – Or chasing the fantasy of it

The tales of a man chasing an oasis in a desert. Something obvious, visible, that felt reachable, but maybe didn’t exist, such a thing as stability, comfort, certainty. Those looked like things that happened to others, not to me. The love story with this city was reaching a point where love was not enough to make it work.

I found a remote job in the USA, that job would be great if I were in Colombia, some months before, but jokes on me, things happen when they happen, dot. I’m grateful to this company because it saved my ass at the last second from having to come back to Colombia. It was not well paid, though, but it gave enough time to study, attend classes, and explore Lisbon in the mornings. Then, a dear friend also threw me a lifesaver, another job as a social media manager and “content creator” for the school where he works in Dallas.

There I was, a strong, independent man, with 2 jobs, a master’s degree, and the will to start a life in a new country. I’m so optimistic; I even tried dating. I’m glad I picked so badly; none of those attempts lasted. And the only good (apparently) prospect didn’t live here; well, time showed I was not right for her, and she was not right for me, either. But that’s Life. To be fair, I had no energy left for anything besides surviving.

Surviving is not living

This is how my first year in Portugal ended, on this roller coaster of a modern immigrant adult. Going straight to a burnout with a smile on my face, besides the difficulty, I was always happy. And I have not mentioned it yet, but I was well surrounded. I’ve been overall a lonely person, but I was never alone in this process. I have made great friends here, and those are also the blessings that keep me pushing.

Part 2 cooming soon

If you liked this story let me know 😉